Codename:Pic of the day
Poe’s note: Every pic I see of wave 6 makes me more impatient for my CSC order to ship…and I thought I’d be OK for a while after getting the Walmart wave. Anyway, Drury Walker here looks awesomely goofy.
Odds ‘n Ends
- I spent about an hour on the new Odds ‘n Ends pic, so I hope you like it–’cause you ain’t gettin’ anything else! I decided to go with a more vertical look this time around. You’d be amazed at how much I mess around with the positioning of the items until I’m satisfied with the look. As it is, I think there’s too much red/orange, but it’ll do.
- DCUC Wave 6 seems to be arriving everywhere–except here in the Northeast, of course. An eBay search within 200 miles of my zip code comes up with nothing. Of course, I have these pre-ordered through Corner Store Comics anyway, but seeing all the pics on the Web–especially this one–doesn’t make the waiting any easier.
- We’ve got an HDTV at the Chez Ghostal household, but no Blu-Ray player. I’m one of those people who thinks Blu-Ray is the new Laserdisc and within five years everything will be available via HD on-demand. But it still bugs me that I have to buy the regular ol’ DVD of The Dark Knight. I do like the digital copy it comes with, though, because…
- …I can watch it on the new Ipod Touch I got for my birthday. I also downloaded Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, which I hadn’t seen because I am a lazy geek.
- Speaking of being a lazy geek, every day I get more and more worried that I should be watching the new Doctor Who. But there’s only so many hours in the day, y’know? I still have to get around to watching the last season of Buffy and the last season-and-a-half of Angel.
- This week’s question: What toy line will be the main focus of your collecting in 2009?
The 2008 Poppies
I just submitted my judge’s picks for the 2008 Poppies–the pop culture collectibles awards organized by Michael Crawford, now in its second year. Even if you’re not a judge, you can still participate in the People’s Picks by filling out the form here.
News roundup, 1/5/2009
- Studios tell toy stories (Variety) - So, is the He-Man movie on track again? Last I heard it had been condemned to development hell.
- Playmates 6″ Terminator: Salvation figures up for pre-order (CSC) - Not sure about the humans, but the endoskeletons and the tank look cool. There are 3 3/4″ figures too for those of you who prefer that scale.
- Mattel posts JLU update for 2009 (Facebook) - For those of you who aren’t on “The ‘Book,” Mattel writes that at Target they’re planning 20 singles, 8 3-packs, and 4 6-packs, and on Mattycollector.com there will be 4 4-packs (one per quarter) and 1 Convention Exclusive.
- New Masterpiece Grimlock images (Seibertron) - Me Poe want.
- Voyager Leader-Class ROTF Optimus images (Seibertron)
He-Man (Masters of the Universe Classics)
I’ve delved into collector debates surrounding Mattel’s new Masters of the Universe Classics (see here and here). I intend to write up my own thoughts on MOTUC on whether the style was a good business decision, and so forth. But I like the style and concept, so if you don’t, be aware of that when you read the following review.
Due to some manufacturing delays, the inaugural sale of Masters of the Universe Classics (MOTUC) began with not one but two figures. The first is He-Man, the Most Powerful Man in the Universe and an icon of the 1980s on par with Optimus Prime, Cobra Commander and Mr. T. The other is Beast Man, Skeletor’s “savage henchman” and probably one of the best-known bad guys from the line. Available only via Mattycollector.com, the figures cost $20 each, with approximately another $10 for shipping. Read the rest… »
FANtastic Exclusive returns!
The Four Horsemen are finally gearing up for the next FANtastic Exclusive. The Round 3 exclusive, Scarabus, is a bit behind schedule, so he’ll (hopefully) be available at this year’s San Diego Comic Con. The Round 4 exclusive should be available at the 2010 SDCC. Read the rest… »
Toy review roundup (via Fanmode) 1/2/2009
yo go re reviews the Hasbro The Incredible Hulk Bi-Beast figure. Excerpt: “Bi-Beast has some definite flaws (his shins, his action feature, his paint) but the design is good, and it’s not like he’s ever had a figure before.”
Artemis reviews the DC Direct All Star Batgirl figure. Excerpt: “Maybe DC Direct figures don’t grow knees until they’re 16?” Read the rest… »
2008: The Year in Haulage
Prior to his transformation from miser to geyser (of charity) in A Christmas Carol, Ebeneezer Scrooge refers to the holidays as “a time for balancing your books and having every item in ‘em through a round dozen of months presented dead against you.” In that spirit, and inspired by yo go re of OAFE, I decided to keep a running tally of every toy I bought in 2008 to find out exactly how much money I spend on this hobby. The list does not include any toys or figures I received as gifts from friends or family. Shipping costs are included in the price.
This certainly isn’t an attempt to brag. It’s often considered gauche in America to reveal anything about one’s salary or spending habits, but suffice to say DMG and I are by no means rich. Also, keep in mind that this is all spread across twelve months, and that it comes at the cost of a number of DVDs, videogames and other items I might have bought for myself otherwise.
OK, I’m done trying to downplay spending thousands of dollars on toys. Without further ado, I present to you Poe’s Official Toy Tally of 2008. Read the rest… »
